U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities Launches Forest Catalyst Network

Photo Credit: Runaway Productions, LLC

New initiative will help expand forest product markets and accelerate promising forestry innovations

The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (the Endowment) has launched the Forest Catalyst Network (the Network), a new collaborative initiative with the Richard King Mellon Foundation designed to accelerate market development and investment across the forest sector.

Bringing together philanthropic organizations, family offices, investors, corporate partners and other stakeholders, the initiative will move promising ideas from early-stage development to commercial adoption. In the near term, the Network will focus on identifying investment opportunities, connecting businesses with appropriate sources of capital and creating stronger coordination among investors and industry partners.

“Strong markets help sustain working forests and the communities that depend on them. What’s been missing in our sector is the connection between a good idea and the capital to scale it. The Network brings different types of capital allocators together with the best ideas and entrepreneurs.”

Trevor Cutsinger

Vice President, Natural Capital Solutions for the Endowment

The Network grew out of priorities identified during an October 2025 convening of more than 150 leaders from 22 states, hosted by the Richard King Mellon Foundation and the Endowment. Recommendations identified during the gathering, captured in the Activating Private-sector Leadership for Economic Growth through Working Forests – A Roadmap, focus on expanding wood use, diversifying forest product markets and closing funding gaps across the value chain.

The Roadmap and newly formed Network align with the recently released Markets Matter Action Plan priority to identify and mobilize capital. The Network will set deployment priorities and build needed market data to strengthen markets for residual fiber and small-diameter wood.

Priority areas include advanced wood construction, new markets for underutilized wood, packaging and fiber products, manufacturing infrastructure and rural prosperity.

The Network is built to deliver value on all sides of the table. Participating companies gain access to capital, prospective customers and suppliers, as well as technical assistance and introductions that can be difficult to obtain. Investors and corporate partners gain a curated pipeline of forest-sector opportunities and a forum for comparing notes with peers evaluating the same market.

The Endowment also contracted with Logan Roise, owner of investment analytics and technology firm Natural Confluence Partners, to serve as the Network’s coordinator. Roise will help build the Network’s pipeline of opportunities, coordinate technical assistance and support member engagement.

The Endowment and the Richard King Mellon Foundation are organizing an advisory committee to help guide the Network. Planned activities include regular opportunity updates, quarterly meetings, market outlook briefings, and an annual gathering. For more information or to get involved, contact Logan Roise.

About the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities:
The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities is a not-for-profit public charity collaborating with partners in the public and private sectors to advance systemic, transformative, and sustainable change for the health and vitality of the nation’s working forests and forest-reliant communities. To learn more about the Endowment, please visit our website at www.usendowment.org.